KickoffWinners of four straight games, the Stony Brook football team hosts Coastal Carolina Saturday at LaValle Stadium. The Seawolves are coming off a 42-14 win over VMI last week. Junior Kyle Essington threw for 255 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score. Junior Kevin Norrell led all receivers with eight catches for 129 yards and a touchdown. Junior Jordan Gush, who also caught a touchdown pass, recorded season-highs of catches (6) and receiving yards (78). Sophomore Junior Solice and seniors Andrew Nelson and Roosevelt Kirk each had a sack. Saturday’s game marks the 10th annual Raymond M. Downey Heroes Classic. Chief Downey, a 39-year veteran of the FDNY, died in the line of duty while helping others escape from the World Trade Center on September 11. Chuck Downey, the Chief’s son and one of the greatest football players in Stony Brook history, owns 23 records - all divisions - that still stand 24 years after his last game.

Series Stony Brook is 3-0 all-time vs. Coastal Carolina. The combined margin of victory in the three games is 20 points. In last year’s 38-28 victory, Miguel Maysonet (193 yards) had three touchdowns, all in the first half, as the Seawolves jumped out to a 31-0 lead. Brock Jackolski added two touchdowns.

OpponentCoastal Carolina, 4-3, 1-2 in the Big South, lost 26-24 to Gardner-Webb last week. Junior Tre Henderson’s 86-yard kick return for a TD and the extra point gave the Chanticleers a 24-23 lead with 1:53 remaining. Coastal’s lead was short lived as an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty pushed the kick-off back to the 15. Two personal foul penalties tacked on to a 24-yard return gave the Bulldogs first and 10 on the Coastal 14. Three players later, Trever Austin kicked the game-winning 31-yard field goal. Junior quarterback Aramis Hillary has passed for 1,267 yards and eight touchdowns against just two interceptions. He also leads the team in rushing (222) and touchdowns (4). Hillary has thrown four TDs to sophomore Matt Hazel, who has 26 receptions for 391 yards. Senior Josh Norman has 40 tackles and 11 pass breakups.

Coming Up Next Week Stony Brook travels to face Charleston Southern (0-7, 0-2) on November 5. The Buccaneers are winless this season, having faced Central Florida and Florida State to open the season. The Seawolves are 2-1 all-time vs. Charleston Southern, including last year’s 41-21 win at LaValle Stadium.